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| Legislators wants pandemic plan to include regional director hirings |
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Author: Gintautas Dumcius Publication: State House News Service |
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June 14, 2006 - A month after lawmakers criticized the state for a lack of preparation for a pandemic flu, a Beacon Hill committee today approved a redraft of Gov. Mitt Romney’s proposal, allowing local health departments to hire and oversee 15 regional pandemic planning coordinators in the event of health emergency. The bill is a redraft of a $36.5 million proposal Romney filed in February. The new version redirects $1.5 million of the $30 million originally allotted for buying additional beds, respirators, and other hospital equipment toward the hiring of regional planners. "It's more important we start to strengthen the whole public health system," said Sen. Richard Moore (D-Uxbridge), co-chair of the Health Care Financing Committee, which sent the bill to the House Ways and Means Committee. “Some of that money can still be used for some additional supplies.” Moore said he expects action on the bill before the end of July, but acknowledged both chambers’ Ways and Means committees have much on their plate. “I think it’s important we do take action and put something on [Romney’s] desk. The sooner we get it done the better,” he said. “It’s obvious there’s a great need out there in local communities,” said Sen. Susan Fargo (D-Lincoln), who worked with Moore to add the money for a Harvard study on state preparedness. “We’re talking about recruiting and training thousands of volunteers. There have to be people who recruit them, who can maintain the database, who can see about credentialing these volunteers, and ensure these volunteers won’t incur any liability,” she said. The bill also provides $1 million for agencies that care for the elderly and the handicapped to buy protective equipment, including masks, gowns, gloves, and emergency tool kits with manuals to help deal with a “public health emergency.” The aim is to prevent a situation similar to what happened in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast, where some of the elderly were left to die in their nursing homes, Moore said. “We certainly don’t want that situation happening here,” he said. State and federal officials have said in recent weeks much of the responsibility in handling a pandemic flu will fall to local communities, since any potential pandemic is expected to hit the entire country at the same time, leaving the federal and state government unable to help. Experts say it’s unknown when a pandemic flu, unseen since 1968, will strike again. With the total amount of $36.5 million staying the same, the bill also: - Has $750,000 for the re-establishment of the Office of Local Health Services in the Department of Public Health (DPH). - Offers $150,000 for an emergency preparedness index for people with disabilities. -Directs $140,000 for a Harvard School of Public Health study on the state’s preparedness, previously an amendment to the Senate budget filed by Sen. Fargo. - Tightens up language covering legal protection, also known as indemnity, for emergency first responders, which was deemed “too broad” under the governor’s bill. The committee unanimously voted to send the redraft to the House Ways and Means. The Department of Public Health declined to comment on the bill’s details, stressing a need to get a “closer look.” “We’re pleased the Legislature is giving the governor’s bill the attention it deserves, but we would like to take a closer look at the proposed changes before commenting in detail,” said DPH spokeswoman Donna Rheaume. The governor's bill sets aside $30 million for medical equipment experts say is needed: That includes 5,000 additional hospital beds and 2,000 ventilators, among other hospital equipment. The proposal also provided $3.7 million for emergency anti-viral medication stockpiles; and an additional $3.7 million for a 30-day emergency stockpile of food, supplies and medicine for state-operated hospitals and programs. The lack of money for coordination between the state and local health departments was a “glaring omission” in the governor’s bill, said Geoff Wilkinson, executive director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association, which praised the redraft. Local public health departments just don’t have the resources they need to plan for the pandemic, he said. Lowell health director Frank Singleton agreed. Singleton pointed to the flooding the state experienced during heavy rains in May. Lowell was hard hit by overflow from the Merrimack River, he said. “The state showed up 10 days later,” Singleton said. |